One of the biggest decisions a parent has to make is choosing a caregiver for their child. Child Care Regulation (CCR) wants to partner with you to ensure children have a safe and healthy environment to learn and grow.
To become a child care provider, you must first decide what type of child care operation you are going to run. The type of operation will determine the steps involved in becoming a provider and receiving a permit. Visit the Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Child Care webpage for more information.
To determine whether your operation may be exempt from licensing regulations, visit the Child Care Regulation Licensing Exemptions webpage.
Learn about the Benefits of Becoming a Regulated Child Care Provider (PDF in English) (PDF in Spanish). Additionally, the Roadmap to Success for Newly Licensed/Registered Child Care Programs (PDF in English) (PDF in Spanish) (PDF in Vietnamese) will guide your implementation of a successful program.
Child Day Care Operations
Child day care includes center-based and home-based operations that provide care for children ages 13 years or younger for less than 24 hours a day while parents or guardians are at work or school.
Types of Child Care Center operations include:
- Licensed Child Care Centers
- School-age Programs
- Before or After-School Programs.
Learn more about the three types of Licensed Child Care Centers (PDF).
For additional information specific to Child Care Center-based operations, visit: Center-based Child Care FAQs.
Types of Child Care Home operations include:
- Licensed Child Care Homes
- Registered Child Care Homes
- Listed Family Homes
Learn more about the three types of Child Care Home Providers (PDF).
For additional information specific to Child Care Home Providers, visit: Child Care Home Provider FAQs.
Become a Child Day Care Provider
Find information about the requirements and application process:
Employer-based Child Care and Shelter Care
Learn about Small Employer-based Child Care, Shelter Care (PDF)
24-hour Residential Child Care Operations
24-hour residential child care operations provide around-the-clock care for children ages 17 years or younger whose parents or guardians are temporarily or permanently unable to care for them.
Types of Residential Child Care include:
- General Residential Operations (GROs), and
- Child-Placing Agencies (CPAs) that supervise and regulate:
- homes providing foster care services, and
- homes providing adoption services.
Learn more about the types of 24-hour Residential Child Care (PDF).
For information specific to General Residential Operations and Child Placing Agencies, visit Residential Child Care Regulation Standards FAQs.
Become a 24-hour Residential Child Care Provider
Find information about the requirements and application process to provide 24-hour residential child care at:
Find information about How to Become a Foster/Adoptive Parent (PDF) with a child-placing agency.